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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28366272">Guest Manners</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/RobinWritesChirps/pseuds/RobinWritesChirps'>RobinWritesChirps</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Firebringer - Team StarKid</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Background Schwoopsie/Keeri, Background Tiblyn/Emberly/Grunt, Christmas, Christmas Party, Eggnog, Established Relationship, F/F, Friendship, Tumblr Prompt</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 22:54:48</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,797</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28366272</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/RobinWritesChirps/pseuds/RobinWritesChirps</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Every year, the group celebrates the holidays together and every year they try to surpass themselves. Even in trashy guest behavior for some of them. Damn, Zazz, who taught you manners?</p><p>Silly holiday fluff to celebrate the year ending :) Established Jazzy.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Jemilla/Zazzalil (Firebringer)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>16</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Guest Manners</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This is based on 3 tumblr prompts I received: <br/>1) "Happy Hanukkah!"<br/>2) "I know that people usually kiss under mistletoe but… I had other things planned."<br/>3) "Eggnog rules, bite me."</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Zazzalil all but ran out of the car to barge through the door of Emberly, Tiblyn and Grunt’s little home to their Christmas party, leaving Jemilla behind in all her haste.</p><p>"SHALOM!" She cried, grinning broad at all the other guests the moment Emberly opened, "And happy Hanukkah!"</p><p>Jemilla chuckled, making her more difficult way in as she was carrying the large basket of all the presents she had also been in charge of buying from the pair of them − all of that on her own. Every year since childhood, the group had spent all holidays together and even now that their dear Molag, the mentor they all missed was gone, the tradition had stuck. She was happy to spoil her friends, including darling Zazzalil now making her way around the room greeting everyone warmly. They had arrived late, of course, through no fault of her own. Zazzalil had a way to make herself wanted, whether for anticipated affection or for scolding. And even when Jewish holidays ended, they lingered in her for the weeks that followed.</p><p>"Babe, a little help?"</p><p>But Zazzalil was already deeply engrossed in conversation with Schwoopsie by the fireplace who was in the middle of rehearsing the comedy routine Jemilla was certain she would perform later in the day. Tiblyn, noticing her burden, rushed to her side to free her from a large armful of gifts they then arranged underneath the tree amongst the others. The poor fir tree was almost drowned by the sea of wrapped gifts already laid there. Although every year, each of them swore they would be wiser the next year, they still always made an appearance the year after with something to give to every single person among them, every Christmas. Jemilla, who was wiser than them all, made no such promise knowing she would never keep it. The living room was plenty big enough to contain all the gifts. It only made the guests closer and cozier.</p><p>"You’ve done such a good job," she told Tiblyn, smiling. "This looks lovely."</p><p>All across the room, streamers and garlands of red, white and green were adorning just about every possible surface that could be covered so. Here and there, there were even portraits of all of their friends and the tree itself was magnificent, crumbling under too many decorations accumulated over the years. It had become a tradition that the Hanukkah celebrations happened at her place and Zazzalil’s while Christmas took place in here and both households had taken to make the utter best of the assignment. Jemilla had no doubt she would be finding gelt wrappings across her home all through January.</p><p>"Oh, that’s all Grunt, of course… He has all the art skills, Emberly and I just, erm, watched him do it. But thank you, Jemilla," Tiblyn said. They hugged. "Come and say hi to everyone, then."</p><p>Jemilla floated through the small crowd as if in heaven. Truly, the only way she could really enjoy herself was when she was bonding with the people she loved and in this room were gathered everyone she held dearest. Emberly had once again outdone herself with a feast of a buffet people kept serving themselves plate after plate of − Zazzalil more than anyone. Grunt was sitting by the fireplace and sketching scenes of the happy crowd in full celebration. Ducker had pulled out his bible and was reading passages from the gospels to Smelly and Chorn who listened closely, not so much out of shared beliefs but rather because Chorn, not raised in the Christian faith, had kept a fascination for a culture so alien to them. Keeri was shaking and twisting her body to the merry tunes of Christmas songs and Schwoopsie was her captivated audience, interjecting periodically with encouragements and special requests. The two of them had started dated shortly after Jemilla and Zazzalil had broken up with them respectively and the two rematched couples that had ensued were so better suited together that there had not even been a moment of awkwardness about the arrangement.</p><p>"Make room," Zazzalil said through a mouthful of turkey.</p><p>Jemilla scooted to the side and Zazzalil dropped next to her on the couch. She had piled her plate so high Jemilla took it from her hands for fear it would all spill everywhere. Tiblyn did like to keep a neat home, all the more when Emberly and Grunt each had their own way of dirtying it up. Like a dead weight, Zazzalil landed in all her clumsy grace and pulled her legs over Jemilla’s lap in a half cuddle, half famished meal.</p><p>"I’m assuming this is food for one," Jemilla said.</p><p>She put her arm loosely around Zazzalil’s shoulders on the back of the couch. The fire was crackling nearby and she was feeling very comfortable already. On the other couch, Tiblyn and Grunt were each kissing Emberly’s cheek to compliment a feast so well prepared. They were, as always, her biggest helpers but they never accepted any credit for it.</p><p>"Uh huh," Zazzalil nodded. "She made her mom’s latke recipe again, I know I made myself sick with them last week but what can I say?"</p><p>"You could say no," Jemilla noted with a teasing smile. She was nursing a mug of eggnog and letting herself get very lightly buzzed. "That’s always an option."</p><p>"M’afraid not, ma’am," Zazzalil retorted. She had made a small tower of them she pierced together with her fork and then attempted to shove into her mouth in one bite, rather unsuccessfully. "Don’t spoil my fun."</p><p>"I wouldn’t dream of it."</p><p>The celebration was as pleasant as could be. Schwoopsie’s standup bit went smoothly, though every person in attendance had heard the same jokes a million times before and certainly every Christmas prior to this one. Emberly served the desserts, gifts were exchanged first one at a time, then in an explosion of ribbons and wrapping paper and cute bows and before long, the room was down to a quiet lull of food coma and gift haze and every single one of their friends was as happy as Jemilla could hope to see them. Every gift had been greatly appreciated.</p><p>"I’ll clean up," Jemilla said, stopping her hosts as they made to clear the coffee table from the many plates that had piled onto it.</p><p>"You’re the best," Emberly smiled. "Thanks, J-Mills."</p><p>The moment the kitchen door had closed behind her, it opened again with a soft click and Zazzalil approached mischievously. She stopped just short of the sink where Jemilla was preparing hot water for washing the dishes she had collected. Jemilla followed her glance upwards. A small branch of mistletoe had been suspended on top of the upper shelves, just above them. Zazzalil gave her a short peck on the cheek. It was evident that, whatever she was doing here, she had no intention of helping with the dishes.</p><p>"I know that people usually kiss under mistletoe, but…" She smirked in corner. "I had other things planned."</p><p>She pulled from god knew where a pack of tiny marshmallows. Jemilla was just about certain those were to be melted in hot chocolate and not consumed gluttonously, but Zazzalil’s joy was so complete, so warm that she forgot about the slight for a moment and allowed Zazzalil to proceed.</p><p>"I’m gonna shove this entire pack into my mouth!" Zazzalil said in a loud excited whisper. "You’re gonna count how many."</p><p>Jemilla looked at her and turned back to the sink, pouring dish soap to make bubbles − even the soap was peppermint scented in this season.</p><p>"I’m absolutely not gonna do that," she said. She stopped the tap, put on her plastic gloves. "But I will stop you from choking if it comes to it."</p><p>Zazzalil did not manage to shove the content of the pack into her mouth. She did not even manage a tenth of it. Taken by giggles, she kept sputtering out a few marshmallows at each attempt and gulping down the rest and it wasn’t long before she stopped trying altogether. The dishes were done by then, drying off in the rack, and Jemilla pulled off her gloves with satisfaction and drank some more of her eggnog which had been sitting on the countertop. Zazzalil pulled a face.</p><p>"Ugh, you’re still drinking that crap? What’s wrong with hot choccy?"</p><p>"Eggnog rules," Jemilla retorted, taking a sip of the deliciously sweet beverage. "Bite me."</p><p>Likely the drink had already dulled her good sense, for Jemilla had no wit left to her to anticipate Zazzalil’s assault, even prompted as it had been. Her arms suddenly wrapped around her waist from behind, her teeth sank into Jemilla’s shoulder painfully sharp through the fabric of her sweater and she groaned in pain − and a little bit of fondness for her girlfriend, whom she supposed she had tempted too much.</p><p>"What the fuck, Zazz…"</p><p>Half the content of the mug had spilled onto her Christmas sweater and she was already thinking of how she would get the stain off later that night. She shrugged off the garment for fear the liquid would leak onto her shirt underneath but Zazzalil stopped her before she could go back to the living room to lay it out at the back of some chair to dry.</p><p>"Mmh?"</p><p>Zazzalil bit her lip and Jemilla might have been a little tipsy, but not too much so that she did not know the look on her face by heart. She gestured up with just a glance and hoisted herself onto the counter, whatever narrow free space she could find.</p><p>"There’s <em>mistletoe</em>, babe," she said. "Are you just gonna leave me hanging?"</p><p>Jemilla wasn’t. She never left Zazzalil hanging, which was her greatest strength and weakness. Between Zazzalil’s legs, she pressed herself close and held her tight by the waist. Zazzalil’s hands rode up underneath her shirt, warm against hot skin.</p><p>"You’re terrible at parties," she muttered. "You know that?"</p><p>But this was exactly what Zazzalil had wanted and the kisses were only all the more intense.</p><p>"I’m <em>really</em> bad," she said with a cocky grin that said everything about how sorry she was − or wasn’t. "I need to learn my lesson."</p><p>"I can’t help you there," Jemilla replied. Zazzalil’s legs closed around her hips and she smiled back just as wickedly. "I’m afraid I’m about to be a very, very bad guest today."</p><p>It seemed that both of them had other plans than just to kiss under the mistletoe. They had very little time, she was sure, for Emberly never kept too long away from her kitchen. She would not like this. She would hate it very much. And if they were kicked out, well. There was only until next Christmas to ask for forgiveness.<code></code></p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hey! Please leave a comment! This is my penultimate fic of the year actually.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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